GREENSBORO, N.C. — June 14 is Flag Day. It's been that way since 1777 when the Second Continental Congress adopted the flag with 13 red and white alternating stripes along with 13 stars to represent the number of states.
According to the Library of Congress, Congressional legislation designating that date as National Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag came a lot later. The 31 words you know of the pledge today, weren't all there when the pledge first came out in 1892. The words 'Of the United States of America' didn't become part of our pledge until 1923.
The author, Francis Bellamy, wrote the pledge for all countries to use.
In the U.S., the pledge changed again in 1954. President Eisenhower was responding to the communist threat and encouraged Congress to add the words, 'Under God'. Those 31 words became the new pledge and this is how it stands today.
The Field of Honor at Triad Park in Kernersville has a full display of the American Flag's history. There have been 27 versions of the flag since the U.S. was founded in 1776. But this park shows the history of the flag from when the freedom riders banded together, so this is history before history.
MORE WAYS TO GET WFMY NEWS 2
Subscribe to our daily newsletter Let’s Get 2 It!
Download the WFMY News 2 APP from your Apple or Google Play store.
ADD THE WFMY+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WFMY.
Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account.